Lawsuit · Settled

P&G pays $8M after benzene found in Old Spice and Secret sprays at 9× the FDA limit

The Procter & Gamble Company (Old Spice, Secret)

Case

Defendant: The Procter & Gamble Company (Old Spice, Secret)
Plaintiff: Nationwide consumer classes (MDL)
Court: U.S. District Court, S.D. Ohio (In re: P&G Aerosol Products Litigation, MDL No. 3025)
Filed: Nov 4, 2021
Status: Settled
Outcome: $8M settlement (cash refunds + vouchers) with mandated benzene testing; final approval June 16, 2023
Industry: Personal care

The Allegation

Valisure's November 2021 petition found benzene in over half of 108 aerosol antiperspirant batches tested, with Old Spice Pure Sport the most contaminated at 17.7 ppm (~9× FDA's 2 ppm interim limit). P&G recalled 17+ Old Spice and Secret aerosol sprays the same month, and 20+ class actions were consolidated as MDL 3025 (S.D. Ohio). The $8M settlement — cash refunds, vouchers, and mandated benzene testing of raw materials and finished products — won final approval June 16, 2023.

Scout Impact

A completed arc: independent lab finding → recall → settlement with testing mandates. The products were reformulated, but it shows what was on shelves undisclosed — and why Scout flags aerosol personal-care categories.